MAORI CONTINGENT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2679, 27 January 1916, Page 9

MAORI CONTINGENT

ADDRESS OF APPRECIATION. . Before the members, of the 1 Second Maori Contingent left the troopship Waitemata, which took them to Egypt, they, presented Captain Nicholson and the other officers of the vessel with tho following address: — "A message of love and leavetaking from the Second Maori Contingent, known as 'Te Hoko Whitu-a-Tu,' i.e., 'The Fighting Contingent of Tu, tlhe God' of War.' . "We cannot leave you without expressing our appreciation and gratitude to you for your patience, your zeal, your wisdom, and your continual vigilance, by which you have brought us safely through the storms and wastes and the" many dangers of the Great Ocean of Kiwa, our ancestor., We extend to you our.affection for the kindness, fie care, and the great consideration pou have shown for our welfare throughout the trip, for they have, been equal to those of a parent for his children. By your happiness we have heen made happy. By your participation in our pleasures those pleasures have been made great. On account of all these facts we shall never forget you, for we have learned 'to regard you as a father to us your children.. And now our hearts are heavy and sad, for we' have come to the time when we mu6t' part. Farewell. Return to the land whenco we came, and as you go you will take with you our love for these we have left behind. May the blessing of the Highest rest ,upon you, upon your officers, and upon your ship as you go on doing the part that has been, allotted to you in .this war in which we all in com- • mon are fighting Uhat truth may prevail, that error may fall, and that peace may be restored! to the 'world. Farewell. Farewell. Farewell."